« De Sols en Cimes »: a naturally sustainable partnership

Balsan also wishes to invest in sponsorship actions related to sustainability, in particular in the national forests close to its production sites and chooses to enroll with the ONF (National Forestry Office) in missions of several natures:

To work on tree populations presenting symptoms of deterioration in the context of climate change, and participation in the regeneration of a forest very close to our site: the forest of Bellevue (forest road of the Mare au Diable, plot n° 39).

To create forest path to welcome people with reduced mobility.

To support actions of education about the environment based on enhancing the value of the heritage of local biodiversity, for children of the primary schools of all the neighbouring localities.

By joining the ONF, Balsan confirms its active commitment to the preparation of the future and the conservation of the environment and signed an official agreement with the ONF on May 13th 2008 at the forest house of Lourouër for this operation called « De sols en cimes ».

Early in 2009, the ONF (National Forestry Office) along with Balsan (carpet manufacturer) and the French National Education Service, set up an environmental education project for local biodiversity conservation and forest plantation for 9-11 year old primary school pupils in the Indre département.The project was presented to local schools on 19 February 2009:

Ecole Jacques Prévert in Le Poinçonnet (1 class)

Ecole François Rabelais in Le Poinçonnet (1 class)

Ecole d'Arthon (1 class)

Ecole St Martin d'Ardentes (2 classes)

Ecole Maurice Rollinat in La Châtre (1 class)

The ground, plants, woods...

The soil that receives the new plantations has been worked naturally: watered, frozen, re-watered. This natural cycle of weather conditions is essential to the growth and well-being of young plants.On average, the children each planted three sessile oak plants, making a total of 800 saplings planted by schools for the ONF project. The plants were around 18 months old. Each tree will need to grow for between 100 and 150 years before it reaches its adult size.The children were armed with spades and picks with which to plant their trees.Nature will follow its course and other species of trees will sprout up alongside the sessile oaks at Bellevue. The ONF agents regularly weed out any species that might deter the growth of the young oak plants.

How to go about planting...

Hold up the plant and cut any roots that are too long.

Drive the pick into the soil up to the handle and pull it towards you to dig up the earth.

Put the NPK vitamins (fertiliser) in the hole.

Let go of the pick so that the earth falls all around the plant.

Lightly tug the plant upwards to free any roots that might be pointing upwards. The roots must all be pointing downwards for the tree to grow correctly.

Pound the earth so that the plant is held up straight.

Stick in a marker (bamboo) so that the ONF agents can distinguish the oak plants when they weed.